Interest Groups and Social Movements

$ Reflects a different representational principle

$ Representation beyond political parties:

$ These groups and the electoral system connect in various ways

! Depends on what group wants.

$ Outsiders in the policy process, pressure through mobilizing public opinion.

$ Insiders - pressure within the decision-making process itself

•  Protest:
•  Public Information Campaigns
•  Presentation:
•  Litigation:
•  Lobbying Politicians.
•  Contacting officials:
•  Participation in Policy decision-making

• government support:
• federalism:
• Westminster model/parliamentary sovereignty
• the Courts:

! A policy community includes Aall actors or potential actors with a direct or indirect interest in a policy area or function who share a common >policy focus,= and who with varying degrees of influence, shape policy outcomes over the long run.@

! Several categories of actors potentially play a part

• federal government agencies (bureaucratic depts).
• provincial government agencies
• municipalities
• national associations
• provincial and local groups
• individuals
• foreign governments
• the range and number will depend on the nature of the policy issue.

 Policy Networks:

$ A policy network tries to illustrate the patterns in the relationships among state and associational actors in a policy community.

A the properties that characterize the relationships among the particular set of actors that forms around an issue of importance to the policy community@